LAWJOBS.COM S.F. BAY AREA JOB LISTINGS

February 13, 2009

Wow, Even Heller Wants to Cut Jobs This Week

Just in case the remaining 50 Heller employees had any doubt that they would soon join the ranks of the unemployed, they were reminded Friday that the firm would like to employ as few people as possible, as soon as possible.

Heller asked its bankruptcy judge this week to let it sell all its cheap stuff (phones, furniture, but nothing with a hard drive or data, no “fine art” but at least 100 other pieces that are not so “fine”). It asked to have the order immediately approved, called a “motion to shorten time.”

Judge Dennis Montali started the hearing with the question: “Why the emergency?”

“The emergency is we are trying to get out of some floors at 333 Bush Street,” said Heller’s bankruptcy attorney John Fiero, of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones.

“The sooner we get rid of this stuff, the easier it will be for us to reduce headcount, so we’d just like to get on with it,” Fiero said.

The firm’s partners voted to dissolve Sept. 26. On Oct. 16, most employees received an email that they were laid off. About 50 employees were asked to stay to help wind down operations, especially the work of tracking down accounts receivable. Those employees were always expected to work into 2009.